“The concern is that injuring a brain that has not yet completed maturation can interrupt, delay or prevent normal development. Some of the brain regions that support higher-order executive functions are particularly vulnerable to concussion” https://t.co/IzZw6P1oSS

This is so awful: "The athlete was urged to "lie about or cover up" concussion symptoms, the university said in announcing the firing Thursday morning...Multiple parents and athletes accused him [Jerry Reighard] of negligent behavior involving injuries..." https://t.co/0KAje2qcYr

This is why Sport & Exercise Medicine needs to be a recognised medical specialty (as opposed to special interest area) with the same regulatory oversight as other medical specialties (if not more) https://t.co/5dyd35QgkI

Large coercive pressures on athletes contribute substantially to their downplaying of symptoms. Messages like this, coming from brain injury researchers, especially messages involving small boys like this, sends out powerful cultural signals about what is harmful and what is not.

Can you imagine canceling a meeting with a grieving mom trying to learn how her son died at your institution? "The school, as well as the Kansas Attorney General's office, have said there will not be an independent investigation into Braeden's death." https://t.co/a5krNWulCl

If you are interested in #TBI and long term neurological consequences of recurrent TBI, then you have to realize that for some researchers there will never be enough evidence, there will always be some problem with a study, there will always be missing minutia. Ask of them: why?

"Players being put at risk of extreme pain and long-term impairment should be prevented by the team doctor, trainers, assistant coaches, athletic department administrators and strong university policies." https://t.co/gZTlEZHVx8

"Our society is committed to protecting children—that’s why we ban smoking, remove children from homes with lead paint, and force parents to put their children in car seats. We should also protect children from unnecessary brain damage in youth sports." https://t.co/npCIF9mHSc

#NCAA universities spend more money on competition guarantees than they do on medical care for college athletes. 50% of college athletes will suffer from chronic pain. #Amateurismhttps://t.co/gLapKFRxfy

Coaches don't trust their fellow coaches to self-enforce hittng limits:“How much do I think teams would abide by it? Zero percent," said Ryan. “How much do I think people will say they’re abiding by it? One hundred percent.”https://t.co/q3Il6knRSo

"Not only has this glorification of overcoming injury likely affected our concept of masculinity, it has the potential to worsen the lives of many athletes who strive to fit within this hypermasculine definition."

“The cash-grab camps and combines that prey on high school kids have trickled down to the middle school and elementary school levels...they all have a few things in common: they're ego-based, they're unnecessary and they're really, really profitable.” https://t.co/gENBdtY9xZ

“People with a concussion history have a significantly higher margin-of-error and a significantly slower response time than people who didn’t have a concussion history,” Caffey said.https://t.co/GNahmpdQA5

​“Cognitive deficits from concussions sustained in late childhood or early adolescence carry over into young adulthood. Caffey said their work thus far shows that participants experience inhibited brain function ​for an average of four years after their concussion.”

“CTE is not seen outside of individuals with a history of exposureto brain trauma, frequently from contact sports.A 2015 study by the Mayo Clinic could not find a single caseof CTE in 198 control brains, including 33 who hada traumatic brain injury ​in their medical record.”

It is a travesty however that overall rates of neurodegenerative disease (i.e PD and ALS) among retired football players continues to receive little to no attention in the media, and should never detract from the fact that the @NFL's problems go beyond #CTE.